Sunday, April 18, 2010

Caswell County Description: 1896

Caswell county has a somewhat thin gravelly soil, though with rich bottoms along Dan river, which flows along and through its northern border and along Country Line and Hyco creeks. The larger part of its territory is devoted to the production of bright yellow tobacco, while grain crops occupy a comparatively subordinate position, and are produced principally along the river and creek bottoms which abound in the northern and eastern sections of this county. The northeastern section consists largely of red clay lands, with oak and hickory forests, while the lighter tobacco soils occupy most of the southern and western portions. Caswell ranks third among the tobacco counties in aggregate product. The crop averages annually 2,500,000 pounds, and more occasionally.

It has only a few urban settlements, the population being distributed on their farms, well cultivated and largely adorned with handsome and commodious houses. Yanceyville is the county seat, noted for its elegant court-house, costing $35,000. The population of the town is 350. Milton is the principal town in the county and has a population of 700. It is an important tobacco market, handling no less than 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 pounds annually in its three sales warehouses. It is situated in the northern part of the county and the northern corporate limits of the town is the Virginia line. The lands around Milton, being on the Dan river, are very fertile, producing fine corn and tobacco.

Leasburg, a little village of 150 inhabitants, is surrounded by a fertile country, also producing fine crops of tobacco, &c. The chestnut finds its eastern limit here; quite a number of bearing trees are to be found.

Caswell contains 257,163 acres of land, valued at $713,474 and 246 town lots, valued at $95,706.